Comparison Grand L6060 more expensive than M6060?

[Oldoak]

The L6060 is a compact utility tractor, the M7060 is a utility tractor. I believe you are getting more machine for the money with the M7060. It's a great farm chore machine with it's heavier weight and larger footprint giving it more stability but not quite as maneuverable in tight places. The Grand L6060 is a fantastic machine with all the bells and whistles, which cost more, but not quite as capable as the M7060.

I have been going back and forth between a Grand L 5060GST and an M7060 to replace my 21 year old L4200. At this point, I think I will go with the L 5060GST based on my needs. If you decide on the M7060, definitely get the 12 speed.

 

[FatTire]

A less expensive way to get HST in an L6060 size machine might be a used L5740. I noticed this one on the Denver Craigslist, not too far from you. If the machine has been taken care of, 250 hours is nothing. 212 Kubota L574HSTC ENCLOSED CAB LOADER SNOWBLOWER 59 HP 25 HOURS! - farm & garden - by owner - sale

 

[Fallon]

A less expensive way to get HST in an L6060 size machine might be a used L5740. I noticed this one on the Denver Craigslist, not too far from you. If the machine has been taken care of, 250 hours is nothing. 212 Kubota L574HSTC ENCLOSED CAB LOADER SNOWBLOWER 59 HP 25 HOURS! - farm & garden - by owner - sale

I noticed that one too. Would have seriously thought about upgrading to the older machine with more HP from my newish L4060 if I didn't still have payments on the new one.

Pretty sure I got an old Gannon box blade & a LandPride LPGS from the same people. They flip impliment & sometimes machines. Box blade was a bit more worn underneath than I was expecting, but not inappropriately so. I'd buy from therm again.

 

[FatTire]

Oh, I didn't connect the dots, but I have seen implement listings in that same area. They don't say if this 5740 has any remotes, etc. I imagine the snowblower uses the FEL valve for its hydraulics.

 

[FatTire]

BTW, nice to meet you Fallon, thinking we should have planned it for a quick beer.

 

[ovrszd]

TripleR can verify, but I'm sure the 5740 comes with a minimum of one rear remote.

 

[MHarryE]

No remotes on Grand L. All need to be added.

L6060 fits in my heated garage. M would mean bundling up to go out to machine shed, plug in block heater, wait a few hours, bundle up again and go plow. Now on those -30 degree mornings I go to garage in tee shirt, open door with remote from L6060, and plow drive much more quickly than I ever could with a M. I had a M135GX that I needed for cleaning out a neighbors drive in late January because it hadn't been plowed yet that winter and the L would have been too slow moving that amount of drifted snow. The M135GX has a very quick shuttle but it still is amazingly slow compared to the L6060. The M135GX has been replaced with a M7-171 KVT which is even slower in shuttle work but that not its forte.

By the way trading my L5740 for a L6060 is one of my best decisions, after trading the M135GX for the M7-171 of course. L6060 surprisingly more efficient and economical to run although when you're feeding a M7-171 at full power most of the time fuel used by the toy L's is insignificant.

 

[crazyal]

When you say snow removal, exactly what do you envision? Using the FEL or a blade to push stuff around? Getting a 3pt snow blower? Or going with a front mount option? From your posts I assume that when you say "forestry maintenance" you are talking about removing trees (though I read something about skidding). Finally when you say road maintenance are you talking about maintaining your road or building new roads?

Either tractor will work just fine for what I think you are going to use it for. Those who say the GL is a rich man's toys should be ignored. It's a tool that will last just as long as the M will. Extra weight isn't always nice. If you have areas that get muddy that weight will work against you. I'm assuming you have a long driveway (since you have 47 acres) and being in the hills it's most likely not straight. To me that screams front mount snow blower. If so the the GL wins hands down. It has a mid PTO option for a front blower and the HST+ can't be beat for snow blowing. Set your engine speed with a geared/ shuttle tractor and you've also set your speed. When you come up on a drift you have change gears. With an HST you can just slow down. With the HST+ you can shift down for parts where you really need to slow down without even letting off the treddle.

I have both shuttle and hst and the only reason I use the shuttle is because the loader is almost twice the size. I find it annoying as you have to rev the motor up to get the hydraulics to speed up but when you do you either have to shift into neutral or hold the brake. Often I creep forward some then stop as I curl the loader. My Case has a button on the FEL control to shift into neutral but when you release it and the motor is revving high it's kind of abrupt. With the HST+ I can shift down just as I'm about to start to dig into a pile of dirt and then shift back up as I'm reversing away. With shuttle I'm always finding that the gear I'm in isn't quite right and always seam to shift or just try to work with it.

I don't see anything you propose pushing the HP you are talking about to the point where loosing a couple is going to be a deal breaker. I have nothing against the M6060, bet it's a fine tractor. But in my personal opinion you are looking for a compromise to do multiple tasks. That really means HST is more likely to work better for you.

 

[rScotty]

A less expensive way to get HST in an L6060 size machine might be a used L5740. I noticed this one on the Denver Craigslist, not too far from you. If the machine has been taken care of, 250 hours is nothing. 212 Kubota L574HSTC ENCLOSED CAB LOADER SNOWBLOWER 59 HP 25 HOURS! - farm & garden - by owner - sale

I don't see a price, but that's just the kind of machine that is well suited to the mountains and foothills here. I agree; 250 hours is nothing. A 2012 would be an interim Tier IV motor with the simple EGR rather than more complex pollution controls.
Did anyone find out if it is a dealer or owner selling?
rScotty

 

[rScotty]

When you say snow removal, exactly what do you envision? Using the FEL or a blade to push stuff around? Getting a 3pt snow blower? Or going with a front mount option? From your posts I assume that when you say "forestry maintenance" you are talking about removing trees (though I read something about skidding). Finally when you say road maintenance are you talking about maintaining your road or building new roads?

Either tractor will work just fine for what I think you are going to use it for. Those who say the GL is a rich man's toys should be ignored. It's a tool that will last just as long as the M will. Extra weight isn't always nice. If you have areas that get muddy that weight will work against you. I'm assuming you have a long driveway (since you have 47 acres) and being in the hills it's most likely not straight. To me that screams front mount snow blower. If so the the GL wins hands down. It has a mid PTO option for a front blower and the HST+ can't be beat for snow blowing. Set your engine speed with a geared/ shuttle tractor and you've also set your speed. When you come up on a drift you have change gears. With an HST you can just slow down. With the HST+ you can shift down for parts where you really need to slow down without even letting off the treddle.

I have both shuttle and hst and the only reason I use the shuttle is because the loader is almost twice the size. I find it annoying as you have to rev the motor up to get the hydraulics to speed up but when you do you either have to shift into neutral or hold the brake. Often I creep forward some then stop as I curl the loader. My Case has a button on the FEL control to shift into neutral but when you release it and the motor is revving high it's kind of abrupt. With the HST+ I can shift down just as I'm about to start to dig into a pile of dirt and then shift back up as I'm reversing away. With shuttle I'm always finding that the gear I'm in isn't quite right and always seam to shift or just try to work with it.

I don't see anything you propose pushing the HP you are talking about to the point where loosing a couple is going to be a deal breaker. I have nothing against the M6060, bet it's a fine tractor. But in my personal opinion you are looking for a compromise to do multiple tasks. That really means HST is more likely to work better for you.

Al, that's a good explanation of the difference between shuttle shift and HST plus. I also have a large shuttle shift tractor as well as a fairly large HST+ and you have expained it well.
I'd like to add one more thing to think about. This happens when we are building a wall or stacking logs or just pushing anything heavy into positon. It's not the kind of work one thinks about when looking at tractors, but we often end up using the loader bucket to nudge heavy things a few inches one way or another. For doing that, HST+ is nicely controllable where the shuttle shift just doesn't do it well at all. Too abrupt and jumpy.
rScotty